What is the Tush Push? How Eagles execute the play, why they run it so well, and how other teams fare
The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most unstoppable plays in football, a play that teams have tried to get banned in the past to no avail. One team will attempt to get it banned this offseason, as the Green Bay Packers reportedly are the team that proposed to the NFL competition committee to ban the "Tush Push."
The "Tush Push" has been the signature play of the Eagles' run over the last three seasons, which has resulted in a Super Bowl victory, two Super Bowl appearances, and 39 regular-season wins.
The play is still controversial, given the nature of its success. Defenses don't have an answer for a quarterback being pushed into the end zone among a pile of massive offensive linemen and a yard to work with.
What is the "Tush Push" and why do the Eagles run it so well in the first place?
In the "Tush Push," the quarterback is pushed forward through the defensive line by players behind him. The running back and the tight end are lined up behind the quarterback and push the quarterback through the defensive line. The play is used in short-yardage and goal-line situations and has a very high success rate.
The play is more like a rugby scrum, and doesn't necessarily showcase the skill set of the NFL athletes. The play is about execution, not being "aesthetically pleasing."
The play has not been banned by the NFL, although there has been discussions on the topic over the last few seasons.
There was a rule change with the "Tush Push." This season, players pushing the quarterback must stand at least 1 yard behind him. This change was made to prevent the players from immediately shoving the quarterback after the snap, which could further risk injury.
Why do the Eagles run the 'Tush Push' so well?The Eagles aren't successful at the 'Tush Push" because Jalen Hurts knows how to drive his legs into the end zone. There is a combination of factors at play.
The "Tush Push" is designed for Hurts to go behind left tackle Jordan Mailata (365 pounds) and left guard Landon Dickerson (332 pounds), two of the biggest players at their respective positions in the league. Hurts goes to his left behind Mailata and Dickerson and their 697 pounds, while Hurts squats 600 pounds himself. Add in center Cam Jurgens and his 303 pounds and this is a tough combination to stop.
"It's like a truck with four-wheel drive," Jurgens said. "If something goes wrong, like a flat tire or this or that it's not gonna work. It's all of us moving together in unison."
The Eagles have an incredible percentage at executing the play. Philadelphia was 39 of 48 converting the "Tush Push" into a first down or touchdown this season (including playoffs). Of the nine times they failed, the Eagles followed with a first down or touchdown on the next play using a "Tush Push "eight times (including two via defensive offside on a "Tush Push" formation).
The only time the "Tush pPush" was truly stopped was after an aborted snap in Week 1 where they kicked a field goal on the next play. That was Jurgens' first start at center in NFL after Jason Kelce retired.
"They can't stop it and they can't do it," Jurgens said. "I think if everybody could do it, no one would want to ban it. Just about two teams can do it at the clip we can."
How do other teams fare?The Eagles aren't the only team that's had success converting quarterback sneaks in 2024. The Buffalo Bills were 29 of 37 on quarterback sneaks (78.4%), including the playoffs. Buffalo ran the sneak 37 times, second behind Philadelphia.
The Cleveland browns were 11 of 12 on quarterback sneaks (91.7%) while the Dallas Cowboys were 9 of 10 (90%). The Green Bay Packers were 8 of 8 (100%).
Banning the "Tush Push" won't stop the Eagles, but ends a creative way for the Eagles to gain a yard. Philadelphia will still be good at the quarterback sneak.
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